Stay Fit During the Holiday Rush: Quick Total Gym Workouts That Work

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

The holidays move fast. One minute your calendar is wide open, the next it is filled with travel, events, and to do lists that leave little room for workouts. No matter how much you plan, prepare, or try to stay ahead of it, the season has a way of getting busy… quickly!

That does not mean fitness disappears. It simply means it has to work differently.

Quick workouts are one of the most effective ways to stay strong, energized, and consistent, even when life is full, especially during the holidays. When done intentionally, they are one of the most effective ways to maintain strength, energy, and consistency, especially during the holidays.

Why Quick Workouts Work

When time is limited, familiarity becomes your advantage. Repeating the same group of movements allows your body to move more efficiently, with better control and confidence. Less time is spent deciding what to do, and more time is spent actually doing the work.

As the movements become familiar, your focus shifts. You move past learning and into execution. That is where short workouts become powerful. Quick workouts work not because they are short, but because they are intentional.

Same Moves, Different Focus

This holiday workout is built around the same exercises, performed in different ways. The exercises stay the same. The way you perform them adapts to your energy, schedule, and what your body needs that day.

• Some days you may move slowly, focusing on control.
• Other days you may add speed, range of motion, or intensity.
• Some days you complete one round and move on.
• Other days you repeat the circuit and let the workout build.

The more often you repeat the routine, the more natural it becomes. That familiarity creates flow, efficiency, and confidence… the exact combination you need when time is tight!

Your Total Gym Holiday HIIT Workout

This Total Gym routine is built to fit any holiday schedule, whether you have five minutes or thirty. Complete it as a full workout or break it into shorter movement sessions throughout the day. One round is effective; multiple rounds are optional.

Directions:

• Warm up dynamically for a few minutes.
• Perform each exercise for one minute, moving smoothly from one to the next. Rest when needed, but keep your body in motion.
• Finish with light stretching to support recovery.

Time Options:

• 5 minutes: Quick mobility and stretch session to reset the body when time is extremely tight.
• 10 minutes: One focused round for full-body activation (perform 10 reps of each exercise rather than timing).
• 20 minutes: Two rounds to build strength and stamina.
• 30 minutes: Add light cardio between exercises and finish with a core and stretch sequence.
• Mix and match moves to fit your mood, energy, and available time.

For a visual guide, refer to the video demonstration showing each exercise performed on the Total Gym.

Set-Up: Squat Stand Connected, medium incline recommended. Adjust as needed to challenge your muscles.

Legs + Core

1. Forearm Plank Glides
2. Squat Crunch + Plyo for intensity
3. Jog Crunch
4. Glute Press (30 seconds per leg)
   • Option 1: Prone (Hamtsring Glute Focus)
   • Option 2: Turn Out (Outer Thigh Focus)

Upper Body + Core (Connect Cables / Adjust Level)

5. Surfer Row (back)
6. Seated / Kneeling Curls (biceps)
7. Seated Press (chest)
8. Tricep Extensions + Bridge (triceps)
9. Lat Crunch (shoulders)
10. Torso Rotation (30 seconds per side, modified seated)

How to Use This Workout During the Holidays

Think of this workout as a flexible system, not a rigid plan.

• Use it when you have five minutes, ten minutes, or thirty.
• Use one or two exercises as movement breaks during the day.
• The goal is not to do more. The goal is to keep moving consistently.

Holiday Momentum, Simplified

Staying active during the holidays is not about pushing harder or doing more. It’s about maintaining the momentum you create. When you keep a baseline of strength and movement now, January doesn’t feel like a restart. It feels like a continuation.

Quick workouts like this one let you move through the holidays feeling strong, capable, and connected to your body. That kind of consistency lasts far beyond the season.

Sending love, laughs, and holiday moments your way,

Maria

@groovysweat